The Saraswati veena, also spelled Saraswati veena, is an ancient Indian stringed instrument. It is named after the Hindu goddess Saraswati, who is often shown holding or playing the instrument. Also called the Raghunatha veena, it is mainly used in Carnatic classical music from South India. The veena has several forms, and in its South Indian version, it is part of the lute family. A person who plays the veena is called a vaiṇika.

The Saraswati veena is one of four major types of veena today. The others are the chitra veena, vichitra veena, and rudra veena. The rudra and vichitra veenas are more commonly used in Hindustani music, while the Saraswati and chitra veenas are more frequently used in Carnatic music from South India. These instruments can be used to play both traditional and modern music.

History

The veena has a written history that goes back to about 1700 BCE. In ancient times, the sound made by a hunter’s bow string when shooting an arrow was called the Vil Yazh. The Jya ghosha, or the musical sound of the bow string, is mentioned in the ancient Atharvaveda. Over time, the bow used by archers led to the creation of the musical bow. Early strings were made from twisted bark, grass strands, grass roots, vegetable fiber, and animal gut. As the veena evolved, more specific names were used to describe the different types of instruments that followed. In India, the word "veena" originally meant any stringed instrument, including those played by plucking, bowing, or striking.

Veena instruments developed in a way similar to a tree, branching into many different types. These included the Akasa, a harp-like veena tied to trees so wind could make the strings vibrate, and the Audumbari veena, played by the wives of Vedic priests during religious ceremonies called Yajnas. Veenas had anywhere from one to one hundred strings and were made from materials like eagle bone, bamboo, wood, and coconut shells. The yazh, an ancient harp-like instrument, was also considered a type of veena. However, as fretted veenas developed, the yazh became less common because fretted veenas made it easier to play complex Indian musical styles, including ragas and gamakas. Early veenas were often played vertically, as shown in Hindu temple carvings and paintings. It was not until the 18th century, when the Carnatic music composer and Saraswati veena player Muthuswami Dikshitar lived, that the veena became more commonly played horizontally.

According to musicologist P. Sambamurthy, the modern Saraswati veena with 24 fixed frets was developed in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, during the rule of Raghunatha Nayak. Because of this, it is sometimes called the Tanjore veena or Raghunatha veena. The Saraswati veena has four strings. It is believed that Govinda Dikshita, the father of Venkatamukhi and a musician and minister in Raghunatha Nayak’s court, designed it. Before this time, veenas had fewer and movable frets. The Saraswati veena evolved from the Kinnari veena. While many regions in South India make veenas, those crafted in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, are considered the most advanced. However, the Mysore Veena, made from rosewood and played with natural fingernails, is known for producing the purest natural sound. Other famous veena-making regions include Pithapuram in East Godavari District and Bobbili in Vijayanagara District of Andhra Pradesh. The ancient text Sangeeta Ratnakara refers to the Saraswati veena as the Ekatantri Veena and describes its construction method.

The Saraswati veena is part of the lute family, but other North Indian veenas, such as the Rudra veena and Vichitra veena, are technically zithers. The Rudra veena was reserved for family use by descendants of Tansen, a famous musician, and was later called the Saraswati Veena out of respect.

Construction

The veena is about four feet long. It has a large hollow body (called a kudam) made from a log, usually jackfruit wood. The neck (called a dandi) is narrow at the top and has 24 brass or bell-metal frets attached to wooden tracks with black wax. At the end of the neck is a tuning box that curves downward and has an ornamental dragon's head (called a yali). If the veena is made from one piece of wood, it is called an Ekanda veena. A small wooden bridge (called a kudurai), about 2 x 2½ x 2 inches, sits on the resonator and has a curved brass plate glued with resin. Two rosettes, now made of plastic or horn (originally ivory), are on the top of the resonator. Four main strings are tuned to specific musical notes (for example, B flat-E flat below bass clef – B flat-E flat in bass clef). These strings run from tuning connectors on the resonator across the bridge and over the fretboard to four large-headed pegs in the tuning box. Three additional strings, called drone strings, are tuned to the tonic, fifth, and upper tonic (E flat-B flat-E flat in the example above). These strings cross a curved side bridge near the main bridge and run to three pegs on the neck. All seven strings are now made of steel.

Playing technique

The veena is played while sitting cross-legged, with the instrument tilted slightly away from the player. The small gourd on the left side is placed on the player's left thigh. The left arm goes under the neck, and the hand curves upward so the fingers can press the frets. The right hand's palm rests on the edge of the top plank, allowing the fingers (usually the index and middle) to pluck the strings. The drone strings are played using the little finger. The veena's large resonator is positioned on the floor, beyond the right thigh.

Like the sitar, the left hand presses the strings on the frets. This action, along with pushing the strings to create higher tones and smooth sliding sounds, and using finger flicks, helps produce the unique sounds of different ragas and their decorations (gamaka). Modern changes include adding one or two round sound holes, replacing wooden pegs with machine heads for easier tuning, and using transducers to make the sound louder during performances.

Religious associations within Hinduism

The Hindu goddess of learning and the arts, Saraswati, is often shown playing a veena. The god Shiva is also shown playing or holding a vina in his form called "Vinadhara," which means "holder of the vina." The sage Narada is known as an expert veena player and mentions 19 different types of veena in a text called Sangita Makarandha. Ravana, the opponent in the story Ramayana, is described as a skilled veena player. Scholars believe that since Saraswati is the goddess of learning, the most advanced string instrument of that time was given to her by artists of that era.

References in ancient texts and literature

The Ramayana, the Puranas, and Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra all mention the veena, as do the Sutra and the Aranyaka. The Vedic sage Yajnavalkya praises the veena in a verse: "One who is skilled in playing the veena, one who understands different srutis (small musical intervals), and one who is skilled in tala (rhythm) can achieve spiritual freedom easily."

Old Sanskrit and Tamil writings often describe the veena. These include texts like Lalita Sahasranama, Adi Shankara's Soundarya Lahari, poet Kalidasa's Kumarasambhava, Shyamala Dandakam, Tamil Thevarams, and Thiruvasagam. Examples from these works include phrases like "veena venu mridanga vAdhya rasikAm" from Meenakshi Pancharathnam and "mAsil veeNaiyum mAlai madhiyamum" from a Thevaram by Appar. In Sanskrit texts, the veena and Hindu goddesses who play it, such as Saraswathi and Shakti, are sometimes called kachchapi or vipanchi. Musical pieces like Tyagaraja's Mokshamugaladha also discuss the spiritual meaning of the veena.

In Hinduism, each part of the veena is believed to represent a god or goddess. The neck symbolizes Shiva, the strings represent his wife, Parvati. The bridge is Lakshmi, the secondary gourd is Brahma, and the dragon head is Vishnu. Saraswati is said to reside on the "table" or resonating body of the instrument. R. Rangaramanuja Ayyangar wrote, "Thus, the veena is the home of divinity and the source of all happiness."

Eminent veena player E. Gayathri has shared that the Aitareya Upanishad includes a verse stating that humans are like a "veena" made by God (daiva veena), while the Saraswati veena (the instrument) is a human-made version (maanushi veena). She explains that the veena resembles the human skeleton. The resonating chamber (kudam) represents the skull, the dandi and lion (Yali) face stand for the backbone, and the 24 frets on the fretboard match the 24 bones in the human spine.

Variants

Experts believe that today, four types of instruments are known as "veena." In the past, the word "veena" was used as a general term for any stringed instrument in India. These four types are the Tanjavur (Saraswati) Veena, Rudra Veena, Vichitra Veena, and Gottuvadhyam Veena (also called the Chitra Veena).

The veena has changed over time. One modern version is the Sruti Veena, which is more used to show musical theory than for playing music. It was created by Lalmani Misra in the early 1960s. This instrument can produce all 22 srutis at the same time.

Contemporary situation

Veena is an important part of Indian music. Over time, musical instruments changed as culture changed in the country. Groups of artists, scholars, and craftsmen moved from place to place and sometimes stayed in one area. For example, Veena makers in Kolkata became well-known for their instruments. Similarly, the Rudra Veena was redesigned by craftsmen in Tanjavur, leading to the creation of the Tanjavur Veena. Today, people live in many different places and have varied lifestyles, which has led to fewer craftsmen and performers. Efforts to create schools for instrument-making have started, but there is a strong need for specialized training centers that focus on all aspects of Veena. As a member of the UNESCO Convention 2003, India has recognized Veena as an important part of Intangible Cultural Heritage and plans to add it to UNESCO’s list of cultural traditions.

Electronic and Digital Veena: The acoustic Tanjavur Veena (also called Saraswati Veena) has been used in solo and group performances in large halls. Performers also travel worldwide for concerts, and many artists now live outside India. Challenges with using the acoustic Veena include: 1. Its sound is quieter compared to instruments like the flute or violin, making it hard to hear during group performances. This led to the use of microphones (first used by Emani Sankara Sastri) or pickup devices (first used by S. Balachander), which require carrying extra speakers for sound. 2. The instrument is fragile and often breaks during travel. 3. The frets (the raised parts on the neck) need to be adjusted yearly, requiring either returning the instrument to India or sending a skilled craftsman overseas.

These challenges led to the creation of the electric Veena, followed by the electronic Veena (1986) and the digital Veena (2002) by engineer-flautist G. Raj Narayan of Bengaluru (1971).

Main features of the electronic Veena:
– Louder sound produced by an amplifier and speaker built into one of the gourds (the rounded parts of the instrument).
– A built-in electronic tambura (a stringed instrument that provides a drone sound) in the other gourd, which can be removed.
– Matching pickup and speaker to create an authentic Veena sound.
– Adjustable volume controls for the main strings and rhythm strings.
– Adjustable frets on a wooden fretboard, replacing the more delicate wax fretboard, allowing users to easily adjust the frets.
– Guitar-like keys for easier tuning.
– Complete portability, as the sound box is replaced by a wooden plank, making the instrument easier to carry and assemble.
– Can be used with batteries during power outages.

The electronic Veena has become popular among users. Videos of performances using the electronic Veena are available online.

However, it still had issues like needing frequent retuning, changing strings for higher pitches, and differences in the same note across strings. This led to the invention of the Digital Veena (for which G. Raj Narayan received a patent from the Indian Patent Office), first demonstrated at the Madras Music Academy in 2002. This is the first synthesizer for Indian music, with these features:
– Can be played at any pitch without changing strings.
– All four main strings and rhythm strings are automatically tuned perfectly when any pitch is selected.
– Users can choose between two types of tuning (PA or MA) for specific strings.
– The pitch of the strings remains unchanged while playing.
– Adjustments for how the instrument responds to finger movements, allowing for complex musical effects.
– Louder sound with an adjustable volume.
– Longer note sustain, allowing for longer musical phrases with fewer plucks.
– Eight different sound types (e.g., Tanjavur Veena, mandolin, saxophone, flute).
– Fixed frets on a wooden fretboard, eliminating the need for delicate wax frets.
– No need to set the melam (a system of tuning).
– Pre-set fret positions for precise tuning.
– Built-in electronic tambura and line-out capability for connecting to other devices.
– Battery backup for power outages.
– Complete portability, as the sound box is replaced by a detachable gourd with a speaker.

The digital Veena is also used in performances by younger or amateur musicians, and videos of these performances are available online.

Tone and acoustics

A Nobel Prize-winning physicist named C.V. Raman has noted that the veena has a special design. The ends of the strings are curved, not pointed. The frets are more curved than those on other musical instruments. Unlike a guitar, the strings on the veena don't need to be pressed all the way down to the bottom of the neck. This prevents a rattling sound from happening. This design allows for smooth control of the string's tightness, which is important for playing sliding notes. The beeswax under the frets might help reduce unwanted sounds.

Notable vainikas

• Muthuswami Dikshitar
• Veenai Dhanammal (born 1867, died 1938) – known for her unique style
• Veena Sheshanna (born 1852, died 1926) – associated with the Mysore style
• Veena Venkatagiriappa (born 1887, died 1951)
• Veena Doraiswamy Iyengar (born 1920, died 1997) – associated with the Mysore style
• Emani Sankara Sastry (born 1922, died 1987) – associated with the Andhra style
• Chitti Babu (born 1936, died 1996) – associated with the Andhra style
• Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer (born 1888, died 1958) – associated with the Karaikudi style
• K. S. Narayanaswamy (born 1914, died 1999) – associated with the Travancore style
• Trivandrum R Venkataraman (born 1938, died 2010) – associated with the Travancore style
• S. Balachander (born 1927, died 1990) – known for his unique style

• Ranganayaki Rajagopalan (born 1932, died 2018) – associated with the Karaikudi style
• R Pitchumani Iyer (born 1919, died 2015)
• Madurai T. N. Seshagopalan
• B. Sivakumar
• Kalpakam Swaminathan (born 1922, died 2011)
• Mangalam Muthuswamy (born 1937, died 2007)

• Padmavathy Ananthagopalan (born 1934) – based in Chennai, student of Lalgudi Gopala Iyer, creator of a portable veena, supporter of the gurukula tradition, and founder of Sri Satguru Sangita Vidyalaya music school.
• Rugmini Gopalakrishnan (born 1936) – based in Thiruvananthapuram, student of K. S. Narayanaswamy.
• Karaikudi S. Subramanian (born 1944) – grandson and adoptive son of Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer, 9th generation veena player in the Karaikudi Veena Tradition.
• E. Gayathri (born 1959) – based in Chennai, student of Kamala Aswathama and T. M. Thyagarajan, recognized with "Kalaimamani" and "Sangeet Natak Akademi" awards, Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Music and Fine Arts University.
• D Balakrishna (born 1961) – based in Bangalore, main representative of the Mysore style of veena playing, son and primary student of Mysore V. Doraiswamy Iyengar.
• B. Kannan (born 1964) – based in Chennai, student of Vasantha Krishnamurthy and Pichumani Iyer, founder-president of Youth Association for Classical Music (YACM), and composer of many thillanas.
• Nirmala Rajasekar (born 1966) – student of Kalpakam Swaminathan, recognized with McKnight Performing Artists Fellowship, and founder of Naada Rasa music school.
• Prince Rama Varma (born 1968) – student of Trivandrum R Venkataraman and K. S. Narayanaswamy, organizer of Swathi Sangeethotsavam, and member of the Travancore royal family.
• D. Srinivas (born 1968) – based in Hyderabad, student of Srinivasan and P. Srinivasa Gopalan, recognized with "Ugadi Visishta Puraskaram" Award, and "Ashtana Vidwan" of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.
• Rajhesh Vaidhya (born 1973) – based in Chennai, recognized with Kalaimani award, founder of Ravna International School of Veena,

Veena festivals

• Maargashira/ Margazhi Veena Festival – started in 2004 and organized by Sri Guruguha Vaageyya Pratishtana Trust & Sri Guruguha Sangeeta Mahavidyala.
• Mudhra Veenotsav – started in 2005 in Chennai.
• Veena Navarathri – started in 2007 in Chennai and organized by the Veena foundation and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
• International Veena conference and festival – started in 2009 by Sri Annamacharya Project of North America (SAPNA).
• Rashtriya Veena Mahotsava organized by Guruguha Vaggeya Pratishtana Trust & Sri Guruguha Sangeeta Mahavidyalaya.
• Ahorathri Veena Mahotsava organized by Guruguha Vaggeya Pratishtana Trust & Sri Guruguha Sangeeta Mahavidyalaya.